kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
|
| Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2012 2:58 pm Post subject: Flowers of War [Blu-ray] |
|
|
Another reference disc!
Flowers of War [Blu-ray]
(Hover over link for price, click to purchase and support our forum at no extra cost to you)
| Quote: | 'The Flowers of War' is a stirring, emotionally powerful film about sacrifice and compassion in the face of despair. Director Zhang Yimou constructs a visually beautiful, visceral experience that is both elegant and chaotic. Disturbing and heartfelt, the movie's drama is potent and inspirational. The video is exceptional, showcasing all of the impressive cinematography, and the audio mix is demo worthy with its aggressive kick and nuanced design. Though there is only one real supplement, the five-part documentary is comprehensive and fascinating, offering a raw, unfiltered look at the film's daunting production. The movie went by under the radar when it was released in select theaters last year, and deserves a lot more attention. Thankfully, this disc does the film justice with a strong technical presentation and a very interesting making of documentary. Recommended.
The Video: Sizing Up the Picture
The movie is provided with a 1080p/AVC transfer in the 2.40:1 aspect ratio. Featuring striking visuals that blend visceral battlefield sequences with elegant compositions, the film looks fantastic on Blu-ray.
Shot with a mixture of film and digital cameras, the source is in pristine shape with a light to moderate layer of grain visible. After a very hazy opening sequence, clarity perks up considerably, leading to a sharp image with intricate fine details. Various, tiny patterns in objects and wardrobe choices are clearly visible, revealing the filmmakers' painstakingly thorough production designs. The dirty, battle-weary facial features and tattered uniforms of the Chinese and Japanese soldiers come through with arresting precision, juxtaposing nicely against the graceful, beautiful courtesans. The film features a heavily stylized appearance that offers different color schemes depending on the sequence. Many scenes are glazed over in a yellow hue, and others are affected to heighten the chaos of war. This leads to a slightly uneven experience, but the majority of the picture offers splashes of absolutely dazzling color. The vivid cheongsam dresses that the actresses wear simply pop from the screen, and the director repeatedly integrates the church's stained-glass windows into his lighting design to create many stirring compositions bathed in rich colors. Contrast is high with bright whites and inky blacks. Noise and other artifacts are thankfully absent.
Zhang Yimou's films are known for their gorgeous cinematography, and 'The Flowers of War' is no different. While some sequences are less impressive than others, the chosen aesthetic always suits the material well. At its best, the picture can be truly mesmerizing.
The Audio: Rating the Sound
The audio is presented in a DTS-HD MA 7.1 track with a mixture of English and Mandarin dialogue. English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles are also included. It should be noted that while the subtitles are not hardcoded onto the image, I was unable to completely deactivate them. Even when I turned them off in the menu, English subtitles remained on the screen. Engrossing, nuanced, and absolutely room shaking when it needs to be, this mix is simply phenomenal.
Whether in English of Mandarin, speech remains crisp and distortion free throughout. With that said, characters will often speak in whispers and quiet tones, and there are some instances where dialogue is mixed just a tad too low for my tastes. During battlefield sequences, the soundstage is wide, spacious and aggressive. Piercing bullets, explosions, moody wind, hurried footsteps, and scattering debris blast from all sides. Each effect comes through with distinct clarity, precise directionality, and smooth imaging around the entire soundfield. The war sequences create a truly enveloping and downright assaulting experience with deep, full-bodied, thunderous bass activity. You really feel the kick and jolt of every gunshot and explosion. Appropriately chaotic, but still intricately designed, the track finds artistic cohesion in auditory madness. Outside of the forceful combat scenes, the film completely shifts gears, offering a much more subtle and deceptively simple sonic experience. Scenes set in the church are quiet and nuanced, and while the sanctuary provides sporadic safety from outside dangers, one can still hear the faint sound of nearby gunfire and artillery blasts echoing in the distance. Isolated effects like shattering glass feature pristine fidelity and dynamic range offers a complete gamut of clean lows and highs.
Home to several truly demo worthy sequences, 'The Flowers of War' comes to Blu-ray with a five-star audio mix. Offering booming combat sequences and delicately immersive dramatic scenes, the track provides the best of both worlds, and does it all with artistry and technical proficiency. |
Kal
_________________
Support our site by using our affiliate links. We thank you!
My basement/HT/bar/brewery build 2.0
|
|
